The Sum of All Nightmares
by Sophiacharlotte
Summary: Challenge fill from EnglishPoet18 to write about Fear. This is Carol with hints of Caryl. Set in the future Caryl
1. Chapter 1

An: hey this is for EnglishPoet18's challenge to write a story for any fandom but it had to be scary (or delve in the fears of characters) anyway this Carol with hints of Caryl (cause that's how I roll) let me know what you think

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

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She couldn't breath.

The darkness enveloped her as she woke, her hands reaching out frantically to grasp for purchase. Hitting the walls around her that seemed to be closing in. It was so dark...her fear of small spaces amped her hysteria into full gear. As a trickle of dirt floated down from the ceiling.

Control your breathing she thought as she panted, there isn't much oxygen left to spare. Her head arched back, the oppressive pressure making it impossible to breath through her nose. Suffocating her.

Where was she? She desperately tried to think back. They'd been on a run, from the Safe zone. They'd encountered a group determined to steal their supplies and learn the location of the safe zone. Daryl had been the lead on the run, they'd focused on him. When he wouldn't break another in the group had. What was Daryl's weakness they asked. The answer had been clear...Carol.

He screamed in horror as they made him watch, they'd tortured her and then as though they had reached into her soul, delving in to find her very worst nightmare...they had decided to bury her alive.

She was buried alive she realized with a panic her hands coming up to pound on the top of the box. Dirt floated down slowly as though only mildly disturbed by her panic. She couldn't breath, the pressure in her head and her lungs was consuming her. She was panicking, they couldn't have picked something better for her. This was the summation of all her fears, this was her nightmare.

She couldn't move the box they had placed her in was so small, there was no way out. No knife either to end things she thought as she patted at her belt. She would die and turn, forever trapped underground. Her soul never put to rest.

She closed her eyes in defeat and despair. She'd given up on religion or so she thought, suddenly the idea of living as a walker trapped forever in this box had her in tears. If nothing else she deserved to be with her baby, and Daryl.

Ed's evil voice slipped into her consciousness. What makes you think you would be going to heaven anyway bitch?

It was as though he was in the box with her, stealing her precious oxygen, putrefying what was left with his rank breath. She closed her eyes refusing to listen.

Answer me bitch! He screamed in her ear.

"Because" she screamed in his face "Because I would have sacrificed my soul to protect the people I love. Because everything I have done has been for her and him" she screamed thinking of Daryl. "Because I'm human and I made mistakes and I'm sorry for them...because I will do anything to redeem myself." She whispered brokenly sobs coming.

It's okay momma.

The little voice in her head cleared the air, like a cool breeze that was comforting. It was as thought she was lying her head on her chest. She could smell the strawberry scented shampoo in her hair.

It's okay momma, we will be together...you just have one job left.

Her hand slipped down to an area beside her, feeling it. A long shard of wood. She felt along the edges bringing it up in front of her body.

You're right momma, you need to do it yourself. If you're not at peace you will be trapped her forever.

She took the wood opening her mouth. It was the only way she thought as she put the shard in her mouth, feeling the end tickling her soft palate. It was the only way.

Just do it momma.

She panted several times, trying to find the energy and the courage to do it. Just push it in, one hard jab, up and in and this will be over. Just do it! Her mind screamed. She was losing consciousness it had to be now. Just do it!

No, don't leave me.

His voice whispered through her mind, his eyes intense.

"Daryl" she panted "I can't ...I can't I'll be a monster forever..I.."

She paused the effort to speak draining her throat so unbelievably dry.

I'm coming for you, you keep going, don't give up.

His voice was more stern as the shard of wood fell out of her mouth. It didn't matter anymore. She was floating away, her body no longer obeying her commands as she became sleepy. She could have sworn she could still hear him screaming up above her as she drifted off to sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Her eyes jerked open the sun's glare shinning down on her.

I'm dead she thought.

There was a mouth over hers pushing air into her lungs as someone pounded desperately on her chest.

She could hear the sound of an inhuman like wail. A pain so deep she wanted to sooth whomever was suffering. The voice was familiar to her, she knew it somehow.

No...no, the voice snarled in grief. Keep going. She felt the pounding on her chest and gasped yet again, pulling in air, all on her own, a fog lifting from her consciousness as Rick stared down at her. He was waiting in apprehension. She wasn't sure what for. Her eyes turned to the sounded of the wailing, and she saw him, beaten, bloody, looking almost defeated, as he was held back. They were all staring at her in apprehension...what were they waiting for? She was alive wasn't she? She would know if she wasn't.

She turned towards him yet again her arm stretching out towards him, her lips were cracked and dry, her throat raw but she managed one word, slipping past her lips.

"Daryl"


	2. Chapter 2

AN:hey this was always meant to be a oneshot but then I had an idea. This is a little dark for me. I'm warning you now and there is a trigger warning for torture and abuse. Let me know what you think :) thanks to Vickih and HaloHunter89 :)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Chapter 2

They couldn't break him, he was unbreakable. Nothing these assholes threw at him could be any worse that what he'd experienced in his life from his daddy, hell even from Merle. They couldn't break him.

Rick would come, he knew it, he didn't doubt it for one minute. These dumb assholes had surprised them on a week long run, in the middle of the night, at a safe house. Dumb fucks hadn't bothered to relocate. Cocky arrogant asshole, but they were sadistic.

The group he was leading was overdue already, by two days for return to the safezone, tomorrow Rick would be chomping at the bit to lead a rescue team, this would be the first place he looked.

He needed to hold on, his hands were tied above his head, pain seemed to wrack every part of his body. The blood on his back had dried, no longer flowing down in rivulets. They'd taken great enjoyment at opening the scars on his back when they saw them.

They hadn't let him sleep, he was slowly becoming delirious, but he had to hold on. His arms were cramped and stiff. Rick would come.

They wanted information on the safe zone, guard schedules, weaknesses in the wall. He wouldn't break. Even if it was only to protect her...Carol.

The longer they spent with him, the longer they forgot about Carol. He'd barely glanced her way. They didn't know...didn't know he was close to her.

He should never have let her come. She had been assigned to the clinic, and that's where she should have damn well stayed. Things had been strained between them, different. Everything was there, simmering beneath the surface, left unsaid. They needed to move forward. He needed her in his life in every possible way. He loved her. He should never have let her come, but she wanted a change of pace, and he couldn't deny her anything. Not when she smiled at him.

They couldn't break him, he would die before he would give them information, the longer they spent with him the more they forgot about her. Rick would come he thought as the sun broke through the windows

Xxxxxxxx

He heard them coming for him again a few hours later. The door swung open and they threw in that snivelling wimp Ethan. The safe zone had asked him to train. Daryl had hated him from the beginning. Something about the guy had been off. He was a fake, a phony, a pussy.

They knelt Ethan in front of Daryl. Asshole was barely keeping himself together, but something still felt off.

The leader placed a gun to the back of Ethan's head, who started whimpering.

"Alright dipshit...your the one who told me Dixon here was on the council, but seems we got a a tough guy...he doesn't wanna break. You're gonna tell us his weakness, or I'm gonna put a bullet through your head." The leader said.

Daryl seethed in rage he should have known, that asshole was the one who pinned him as being in charge. He watch Ethan's face and he knew, that asshole, he would tell them, but then something happened he didn't expect. Ethan's face changed, morphed from the whimpering dipshit to an evil mask as he started to laugh. Mother Fucker!

"No need to do that Mitch, he already suspects me...Carol...the grey haired one with the smoking hot body...that's his weakness." Ethan said as Mitch helped him up laughing.

No..no, this couldn't be happening. "I'm gonna fucking KILL YOU" he screamed.

"No..you're gonna watch while we have fun with your girl...unless you have something to tell us." Mitch said, grasping his hair and pulling his head back roughly before slamming his head back against the wall.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She wasn't coming easily that was for sure. He would have grinned if it didn't hurt so bad. The door to the room burst opened and they pushed her in, her hands were tied behind her back and the momentum made her stumble, and she fell knocking her face into the footboard of the bed in the room they were keeping him in.

He saw red, but his tongue so badly fresh blood seeped from his mouth. Maybe he could still get her out of this.

"You fucking wildcat bitch" Mitch said pulling her up in front of him. Mitch's eyes was visibly bruising. "I'm gonna enjoy a piece of you" he cackled groping at her breast.

That hand would get an arrow, Daryl thought or his fucking buck knife through it.

Carol reared back, and head bunted Mitch, with the back of her head. Mitch lip split open at the movement.

"Fucking Bitch!"

The door opened and another raider came in with a chair, they tied her to it.

"Alright Dixon...here is how it is gonna go..were gonna ask you our questions again..and if we don't like what you say...she pays the price." Mitch said.

He was watching her eyes, pleading with her eyes, to let him break...to let him tell them. He couldn't watch this, he started to feel like he was hyperventilating. She smiled at him and shook her head. "No...Judith." She said, Before they slapped her across the face.

She barely flinched. Her beautiful eyes holding his. They turned their attention to him, questioning him. For every question he didn't answer she suffered. She was bloody and beaten, her shirt torn off of her, but she didn't cry out. She barely made a sound. They couldn't break her.

Their attention on him her eyes would hold his. I love you, she mouthed the words to him, without making a sound. It was the best and worst moment of his life.

The knock to her head that knocked her out, was almost a blessing, until he saw what they were doing with her. The old house had a small crawl space, barely room enough to fit her.

"No don't.." He called out before he could stop.

Mitch turned to him, with a interested look on his face. "After everything I just did to her...this is what bothers you?...Ethan..hold up a minute. I think our Queen Bitch here don't like small spaces...I would hate for her to wake up...someplace worse...like buried alive." He said an evil grin on his face.

"No!..no!..no,!" he screamed rattling the bonds at his wrist. He could feel them cutting into his skin he didn't give a fuck. "No!" He screamed again as they carried her out of the room.

"I'd say when we have her buried she'd have what..an hour of oxygen maybe? I dunno...you'll have about an hour to decide if you want to talk" Mitch laughed patting Daryl's cheek.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rick had come, along with a rescue group he never doubted him. Ethan had gotten Daryl's buck knife to the head, Mitch to his hand.

"Where is she?" He'd growled as he twisted the knife pinning Mitch's hand to the wall.

Mitch had giggled almost hysterically "She's buried in the backyard...you killed her."

The group ran as the safe zone soldiers secured the raiders. He saw it immediately, the fresh grave, the shovels were still there. He started digging furiously.

Rick put a hand on his shoulder,"Brother you can barely stand..let me and Glenn."

Mitch was drug out of the house by the soldiers laughing "she's dead" he shouted "it's been to long" he cackled gleefully before a soldier knocked him out.

"No!no..no...no." Daryl's screams turned into an inhuman moan as he dropped to his knees to claw at the dirt with his hands and he felt Michonne and Tara hold him back.

He watched as they lifted her out, they hadn't buried her deep. He wanted to go to her, Michonne held him back "Let me go!" He screamed hysterically.

"She's not breathing Daryl" Michonne said as Rick and Glenn started CPR.

"This is crazy, she's gonna turn" one of the soldiers said.

"No..no keep going" he begged but Rick never wavered.

He heard the gasp, they all collectively held their breath. She turned towards him, those eyes, those beautiful blue eyes still there. She reached out her hand toward him, a small smile on her face. She was alive.

She looked like she wanted to reach out to him, comfort him. Her hand and fingers grasping in his direction, one word slipping past her lips.

"Daryl"


End file.
